Former FSU defenders Jared Verse and Braden Fiske record sacks in the NFL Playoffs

Florida State football had a phenomenal 2023 campaign, where fans saw the Seminoles accomplish an undefeated regular season and a conference championship.

Something that will always be remembered about that season is the College Football Playoff snubbed an undefeated Florida State team from a chance to compete for a national championship over a one-loss Alabama squad.

The committee thought that the injury to superstar quarterback Jordan Travis was too much to overcome, but little did they know, that the defensive unit was special.

The defense had pieces such as defensive linemen Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. Verse was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, while Fiske was selected in the second round.

The Rams were thought to be in a rebuilding year as legendary defensive lineman Aaron Donald unexpectedly announced his retirement. The thought process was that drafting Verse and Fiske was the first step in resetting the franchise.

The two rookies are in heavy discussion about winning Rookie of the Year honors. Verse had 66 tackles and 4.5 sacks while Braden Fiske had 44 tackles and 8.5 sacks.

Verse and Fiske did not stop their success in the regular season as they both recorded a sack on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the NFC Divisional Game.

Braden Fiske seemed to suffer an apparent injury after recording the sack. I hope that he gets back into the game to make an impact as his team will need him to have a better chance to win the contest.

It is great to see former Seminoles continuing to make an impact in the NFL. The 2023 Florida State defense looks to be something that fans will always cherish.